World O'Crap
Yes, we're talking about "Jeff Gannon, Washington Bureau Chief, Talon News" -- Talon News being the rinkydink wingnut "news service" chaired by the same guy who runs GOP USA (the wingnut site that is less upscale than Renew American, but slightly more professional than BushCountryUSA, and apparently run by various members of the Texas GOP).
Anyway, ever since it was revealed that "Jeff Gannon" is a pseudonym (even though he apparently gets daily White House passes issued in that name), bloggers have been trying to ascertain his real identity. Susan G. at Daily Kos (with the assistance of her readers) has been very energetic and organized in this endeavor, and has uncovered a great deal of interesting and suggestive info about "Jeff" and his associates.
So, just who is Jeff? Well, his Talon News bio has been delated, but it formerly indicated that he was a obtained a B.S. degree in Education from the Pennsylvania State University System, and attended a two-day right-wing school of journalism ("the Leadership Institute Broadcast School of Journalism"). Oh, and he "lives on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC."
His posts at his site "ConservativeGuy.com" also seem to have disappeared, but Susan and her readers found an archived copy of his "Who is Conservative Guy?" bio -- and it seems to indicate that "Jeff" can't hold a job:
I've been a preppie, a yuppie, blue-collar, green-collar and white-collar. I've served in the military, graduated from college, taught in the public school system, was a union truck driver, a management consultant, a fitness instructor and an entrepreneur. I'm a two-holiday Christian and I usually vote Republican because they most often support conservative positions
And yet, despite that lack of background, and the fact that Talon News isn't really a news organization, somehow the White House lets Jeff into the press conferences ever day, and regularly takes his questions.
Don't believe it? Well, here's part of a program note from Sean Hannity's radio show from last year:
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Sean spends a moment with Jeff Gannon, Washington Bureau Chief for Talon News.com. Jeff talks about his daily meetings with White House Press Secretary Scott McCellan.
And now Jeff has his own weekly radio program on "RightTalk," along with such notable wingnuts as Paul Weyrich and Grover Norquist.
Well, today Atrios seems to have IDed Mr. "Gannon":
Sources allege that Jeff Gannon's real name is James D. "JD" Guckert, though I have not been able to confirm this.
I can't seem to find out anything more about Jim/Jeff. I guess he's just one of those people who haven't done anything that made the papers (or the internet). That is, until 2003 when he changed his name and suddenly became a White House reporter, thus beginning his close association with Ari and Scottie and President George! (And he was doing this on a daily basis, and for a fake news service that one wouldn't think could afford to pay much of a salary.*) And then the very next year, he was getting classified (although probably fake) memos which appeared designed to discredit Valerie Plame.
Only in America!
